


MarchMouse and Kits- Swimming

by miss_murder



Category: Mad T Party Band
Genre: Disney World & Disneyland, Domestic, Drowning, Family, Fluff, M/M, Partial Angst, Swimming
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-19
Updated: 2014-12-19
Packaged: 2018-03-02 06:52:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,449
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2803514
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/miss_murder/pseuds/miss_murder
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's summer and it's hot. Mally and Thack take the kits swimming.</p>
            </blockquote>





	MarchMouse and Kits- Swimming

**Author's Note:**

> Kits belong to tumblr's imakethingsigrowthings. Used with permission.

Thackery was on the fence about taking the kits to the pool. It was summer, yes, and the day was scorching hot. Plus, it was one of the few days where they didn’t have to perform. But he and Mallyumkun had never taken their kits swimming before, and he was… well, paranoid. But Westley and Bastian insisted, whining and literally hanging onto Thackery’s legs as he walked around the house, begging him to take them to cool off at the pool.

Eventually, Mally had agreed with them. “It’s more than a hundred degrees out there,” he huffed, put out that Thackery made him wear a shirt around the house. “What’s the problem? They’re old enough, they should know how to swim.”

Thackery bit his lip. “I don’t know… it’s just…” He was running out of reasons to say no, especially with two of his boys looking up at him with stuck-out lower lips and wide, shining eyes. He groaned and rubbed his face. “Alright, I guess a trip to the pool won’t hurt…”

The kits cheered and raced upstairs to tell their other two siblings, leaving Thackery greatly regretting his choice. Mally came up behind him and squeezed his shoulder, nuzzling the crook of his neck in the spot he knew his husband liked it.

“Come on, Thack, this is going to be fun,” he crooned.

“But, I’m just so worried…” he sighed. “You know… about Bastian and Thea…”

“They’ll be fine, it’s just a pool. We’ll keep a close eye on them. They’ll be fine, and this will be a good thing.” Mally kissed Thackery’s cheek and stood. “Come on, bunny. Let’s go get changed.”

————-

After some debate, the couple decided that going to the Grand Californian pool would be better. Less attention would be drawn to the kits and their ears and tails. Plus fresh air and sunshine… this would be a good thing. Thack set down towels by a chair as Mallyumkun started smearing sunblock on little faces. The kits were already so pale, it would be easy for them to get burned. Thackery showed Bastian, Thea, and Westley how to plug their ears with cotton so as to not get waterlogged.

Once everyone was appropriately covered, they all jumped into the cool water. Jareth flipped his hair out of his eyes and grinned, doing easy backstrokes. At his parents’ strange looks, he shrugged. “Auntie Alice and Uncle Tarrant took me and Westley here a few times when you had Bastian and Thea.”

Thackery inwardly sighed in relief. Two of their kits could swim, that made things easier. When he saw Westley bobbing under the water like a dolphin, he smiled. These two took to water like fish.

Thea, however, clung to Mally’s arm. She was hesitant to go in the pool, even though she was seven years old already - a big girl. She looked up at her father. “Daddy, come with me!” she pleaded, eyes big and wet.

Mallyumkun smiled and hoisted her into his arms, her tail wrapping around his waist. She clung to him, eyeing the blue water cautiously. Mally eased her into it, chuckling when she clutched at him tighter.

“Nothing’s going to come out and get you, Amalthea,” he crooned, swirling her through the little waves. “It’s just water, like in the tub at home.”

Thea frowned. “But I can’t touch the bottom.”

Mally laughed softly. “We can go over there where you can touch.” He wandered with her over to the shallow end.

————-

Things seemed to be going well. The kits were happy to swim around and play; Thea even went down the slide with Thackery holding her. The sun was hot, the pool was cold, and everyone was having a good time. Mally nudged Thack with a smirk.

“See, I told you this was a good idea.”

Thackery rolled his eyes. “Yeah, yeah, I was wrong and you were right. Again.” He kissed his husband. “And you’re just full of good ideas.”

“Well, of course I am. Like this one.” He motioned a small cooler by their clothes and opened it, showing off bottles of water, juice, and sandwiches for lunch. Thackery grinned.

“Lunch, kits!” he called, and three little bodies came running towards them, hungry.

Wait.

One, two, three…

Thackery’s heart dropped, his blood running cold. “Where’s Bastian?” His heartbeat increased tenfold as his eyes darted over every inch of the pool deck he could see. “Guys, where’s Bastian?!”

A splash caught the eye of both parents. Over in the deep end, far deeper than any of them had gone that day, a small figure was struggling to stay afloat, with blond hair and dark brown rabbit ears.

“BASTIAN!” Mally and Thackery both jumped to their feet and ran across the pavement, diving in once they were near enough. Westley held his younger siblings close so they wouldn’t run after them. Each of their faces held identical, scared expressions.

It was a mess of splashing and frantic hearts, especially when Bastian started to get tired and struggled to keep his head above water. Thackery got to him first, wrapping one arm around his thin body and hauling him above the surface. Mally reached them quickly, sighing once he heard the boy taking deep breaths, coughing to expel the water from his lungs. Together, they pulled Bastian to the side and lifted him onto the pavement before pulling themselves out as well. Bastian was on his hands and knees, taking in deep breaths and coming down from the excitement. Mally pulled him into a tight hug, joined by Thack a moment later. 

“What were you thinking?!” the blond panted. “You know that you don’t go off alone!” 

Bastian clung to his fathers. “I-I-I’m sorry…” he mumbled, quivering. “I… I saw something at the bottom… I-I thought I c-could get it…” 

Thackery sighed. Of course something had distracted him, it was only in the nature of his Madness… He should have been watching him closer. He hugged Bastian tighter and stroked his hair, just glad he was okay. Mally understood, reading his husband’s thoughts from his expression like words on a page. He also hugged Bastian, pressing a kiss to his temple. 

“Never… do that to us again. Do you understand?” Thackery warned, warming the boy’s chilled ears between his palms. 

Bastian nodded, still shaking. He was getting cold, a definite hint that it was time to get him dressed. “Yes, Papa.”

“Good. Now, come on, we have lunch for you.” Thackery picked Bastian up and carried him on his hip over to the rest of the kits, who had calmed down enough to chew on their sandwiches. 

Thea came over and sat on Thackery’s lap next to Bastian. She’d been the most worried about her brother, so she didn’t want to be apart from him. Mally smiled a little at his daughter, kissing them both, then squeezing Thack’s tensed up shoulder. 

“Relax, bunny,” he whispered. “Bastian’s safe now. There’s nothing to worry about.”

————-

But Thackery couldn’t relax. He didn’t calm down and take a deep breath until they were back at the house. When all four children were bathed, in their pajamas, safe in their beds, and asleep, he sighed and flopped across his and Mally’s bed, trying to ignore his worries and failing.

Mally came over and slid underneath him, resting his husband’s head in his lap and combing his fingers through his long black hair. “What’s on your mind?” he asked softly. 

Thackery shrugged a little. “Just… I feel like I could have done something. Watched him closer or made sure someone was with him…”

“Thack, Bastian is fine. Mostly, he was just scared. But he’s safe now, and there’s nothing to worry about.”

“But what if we hadn’t seen him, Mal?” Thackery was getting worked up again. “What if we hadn’t gotten to him in time? What if-” He was silenced with a kiss. 

“Stop thinking,” Mally said. “Just… stop thinking about everything. Take a deep breath and clear your mind.” Thackery closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. “Stop thinking about what could have happened, and be glad that what _did_ happen was _all_ that happened. We got to him in time, we pulled him out. It’s all over now. No need to worry any more about it.” 

Thackery opened his mouth to argue, but Mally pressed a finger to his lips, cutting off all words. “No need to worry any more,” he repeated. Thack closed his eyes again and nodded. “Let’s go to bed, bunny. You’ll forget all about it in the morning.” 

“I hope you’re right,” the hare murmured, undressing and slipping under the covers. He was joined by his husband a moment later.


End file.
